I miss those 3 holers. Surely if the 340 needs 4 then they could do a version with more powerful engines that only requires three. It would be a departure for Airbus and I know in a few years all we will have is 787s and A350s, please, a 3 engined version of a four engined offering economy.

3 engines requires special engineering, are harder to inspect and have weight/drag issues.

The MD-11 required a very expensive to manufacture "banjo" casting for the tail engine which also added greatly to the weight of the aircraft, an the L1011's s-duct, though simple does cause lower efficiency than a wing mounted engine, makes the aft fuselage less aerodynamic, etc etc...

Also with engines now at 115,000lbs thrust, there isn't a power need for 3 engines anymore, the 777-300ER is far larger than any tri-jet MD even conceived and does it on 2 engines.

the A340 doesn't NEED 4, it has 4 for what were at the time (late 1980s) economic and operational reasons. There are some reasons a 4 engine jet might be used today (size ala 380 being the biggest, but also things like engine out performance), but there just isn't a reason for 3 anymore with the extra engineering headaches and accessibility issues..

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

The tri-jets are probably a relic of the past, but one can't deny their beauty or distinctiveness. Enjoy them while you can. My first flight as a grown up (14 year old) was on a TWA L-1011 St. Louis to Los Angeles. Awesome.

Thats nice to know your with me, I get lonely you know. least you have the MD11 to feast on Iin Finland, for now at least. I wish they would do an A340 with three engines, would be a saving for airlines?

You are a man of good taste. Im hoping Finnair might keep the MD11 for charter IT flights when they are phased out from scheduled services, they would be more appropriate than the 757 for the longer holiday flights.

They will be phased out. Some are sold to Aeroflot already. The last one is to leave in 2009.They will be converted to freighters. The 757 will stay. Believe me, drunk finns do not care about their seat pitch.

It is about time to leave office now. A syrian 747SP is waiting for me. This time I won´t regret it.

Quoting NorthStarDC4M (Reply 1):The MD-11 required a very expensive to manufacture "banjo" casting for the tail engine which also added greatly to the weight of the aircraft, an the L1011's s-duct, though simple does cause lower efficiency than a wing mounted engine, makes the aft fuselage less aerodynamic, etc etc...

The third engine doesn't necessarily have to be in the tail.
You can imagine three under wing engines, with one engine placed further out on one wing against two closer to the fuselage on the other wing for balance purposes. Of course this would look quite gawky, but you can pure theoretically imagine a 3 engined A-380 or 748 where the third engine is kept for ETOPS issues and on the other hand if there will still be no engines strong enough yet to convert a VLA to a twin.

The L-1011 was superior to all and built beyond its time, I always dreamed of a L-1011 with new RB211 engines and glass cockpit... My favorite jet of all time, miss those days on the TWA and Eastern Tristars when I was a child.

There Are Those Who Believe That There May Yet Be Other Airlines Who Even Now Fight To Survive Beyond The Heavens

25 JakeOrion
: Might see them again sooner than you think: We shall see... Bah! SparkingWave beat me to it.

26 MIAMIx707
: I still can't get excited about the 787 or the A350 very much Just more twins with the same 'ol configuration Same with the new large jets, what's up